


Must Have Been The Wind

by BelovedSpace



Category: Buzzfeed Unsolved (Web Series)
Genre: Implied/Referenced Abuse, M/M, Physical Abuse, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-08
Updated: 2019-07-08
Packaged: 2020-06-24 09:25:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,187
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19720861
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BelovedSpace/pseuds/BelovedSpace
Summary: Ryan laughs nervously as he tugs on the collar of his shirt. Shane eyes those fingers as he speaks. "You don't have to. It's unnecessary," he shakes his head."Then my apartment? Movie night like old times?" He offers with a brush of his hair."I shouldn't," Ryan smiles with a shake of his head. "The guy and I are going on a date tonight," a fond smile reaches his face as he imagines it. Shane frowns."Okay, well, whenever you're free just tell me," Shane smiles at him before leaving.





	Must Have Been The Wind

**Author's Note:**

> TW for abuse /// 
> 
> 4 the Shane Cult!!!

Shane strolled on set that day with good intent. He was ready to do all the quips and jokes they normally did. The idea of their familiar banter filled him with warmth. 

"How's it goin', Ryan?" His hand clamps down on Ryan's shoulder in a swift motion. This earned a quick intake of air from the smaller one.

Shane brings his hand away hesitantly. "Sorry, I thought you knew I was there," his eyes crinkle up.

"Yea- yea I knew! Just thought I'd make you soft," Ryan turns with a hard smile before gathering papers off the table. "We aren't going to film today, if that's what you were wondering."

Shane felt it suspicious that Ryan avoided his question. "Nope," he pops the P. "Just wondering how you're holding up. Considering you moved in with this guy I don't know," he raises an eyebrow. 

Ryan gulps. "It's good. It's going great, I mean, you live below us for God's sake," he gives a weak, unconvincing smile. 

Shane nods, his mouth forming a small 'o' Ryan couldn't help but stare at.

"So I could, oh I don't know, visit you both?" He teases the thought in the air, but he didn't want to. He had good reason to not want to. He liked Ryan. He really really did, but the thought of confessing his feelings was insane. 

Ryan laughs nervously as he tugs on the collar of his shirt. Shane eyes those fingers as he speaks. "You don't have to. It's unnecessary," he shakes his head.

"Then my apartment? Movie night like old times?" He offers with a brush of his hair.

"I shouldn't," Ryan smiles with a shake of his head. "The guy and I are going on a date tonight," a fond smile reaches his face as he imagines it. Shane frowns.

"Okay, well, whenever you're free just tell me," Shane smiles at him before leaving.

○ ○ ○

That very same night Shane heads home. Ryan's voice echos in the back of his mind as he unlocks his door. 

Immediately Obi runs up and rubs up against him, so naturally, Shane picks him up. Obi gives a quick mewl before jumping out of his arms to do cat stuff. 

Shane flops down on his couch, but before he could reach for his laptop, a string of shouts echo through the floor. Curse words for sure. 

What had Ryan said? He lived above him? 

Shane's stomach churns at the shouts. A thud stops the noise. With that, he's off the couch and running through the halls like a maniac. 

Shane takes the stairs and eventually huffs against what he hopes is Ryan's door. He knocks once before scuffling is heard.

Ryan cracks the door open with wide eyes. He glances behind him before clicking the door shut and stepping into the hall. 

"What are you doing here?" Ryan was clearly breathless, a red stinging hand print rested upon his cheek. It took everything in his being not to reach out and touch him.

"I- I heard-" Shane stammers as he stares at Ryan.

"You heard nothing. It was simply the wind; I thought you were the expert on that type of thing," Ryan's red face twists into a hurt smile. "I'm sorry, Shane, but I have to go back in. I'll see you at work tomorrow," he shoo's Shane away before disappearing into his apartment.

○ ○ ○

The following work day was rough to say the least. No matter what, Ryan avoided Shane. 

Shane watched him with sad eyes. He looked like a mess. His normal styled hair was now a curly mess, which he didn't mind, but knowing the context made his stomach churn. 

Light bruises dotted Ryan's face, but it wasn't noticeable unless you looked hard.

Ryan turns his head and the two of them lock eyes. He's the first to look away with eyes full of sorrow. Shane was about to say something before Ryan stood up and walked away.

It's not like he could ignore him all day. The two had a video to record. And this specific episode was a sleepover. 

Shane eventually got frustrated. Ryan walked down the opposite side of the hall before he reaches out for him. 

Ryan flinches at the light contact of skin on skin. "Shane what are you-" and suddenly they were in a closet. How ironic.

Shane searches Ryan's face. "This, oh hah, it's nothing I just-" a thought struck him. If Ryan really did need help, wouldn't he have asked for help or at least talked about his relationship? Did Shane really have doubt in his best friend? 

Ryan's face was almost shaking in the dim light. His chest rose and fell with each shaky breath. Nervous sweat slipped down his neck.

"It's nothing. Just know you can always talk to me," Shane pulls away from him in one fluid motion. He leaves before Ryan could respond.

○ ○ ○

That night the two settled in the same bed, the conversation before had dropped and left a quiet pause in the big room.

"Gonna sleep well tonight, Ghost Boy?" Shane let the normal tease trail out of his mouth. 

Ryan tenses on the edge of the bed, as far as he could get from Shane. The look of pure resentment for himself was clear on his face. The look of it made Shane feel as though someone poured freezing ice down his throat. "Ready as I'll ever be," his breath hissed out of his front teeth.

Shane turns around to face him and swallows. "C'mon, Ryan. You aren't the same," he crosses his arms. Before he could think, his rather large body was sitting on the bed.

"It's just the location, I'm a little spooked is all," Ryan jokes, he turns to face Shane. He then does something Shane wouldnt classify as normal 'Ryan' behavior. He crawls to meet Shane half way in the bed. Now the two sat facing each other.

"You're sure its just the ghouls?" Shane tilts his head a bit, watching Ryan's chest rise and fall.

"Yep, just on edge is all," Ryan visibly swallows, Shane knows this because he watches his Adam's apple. Ryan, not watching his friends careful gaze, was staring at Shane's thin figure facing him.

Shane releases the breath he didn't know he was holding. "I'm glad," and he did something risky. He pulls Ryan into a hug, holding the smaller one against his chest.

Ryan didn't take to this well, his whole body became rigid under Shane's touch. With small, slow movements he pulls his arms to wrap around Shane's waist. He too lets out a breath he was holding. "Guess we'll have to edit this out, huh?" His laugh is airy.

Shane laughs and falls back into the pillows of their bed. Ryan still clung to his chest as he rolls over. 

"Just give me one night like this, that's all I ask," Shane keeps his arms wrapped around Ryan. 

"Okay," his response was tiny as he pressed ever so closer to Shane.

○ ○ ○

The following morning the two packed up and left without a word of the previous night. It didn't seem necessary. 

When they arrived at their apartment buliding Ryan had stared at the ground, avoiding Shane's eyes. He eventually gave up and let Ryan go upstairs. If he had wanted to talk he would've by now.

So Shane trudged to his apartment door, petted Obi, and sagged down on his couch. In the same position as two nights ago.

The same event happened, a freaking 10 am. The thuds and the curses. Shane bites his lips, twiddling his thumbs anxiously. This time the noise didn't stop. Bang after bang after bang rang in his ears.

Shane stands up with fear pounding in his ears, when the sound finally stops. He holds his breath.

And then there's suddenly banging in his door. He races to it and there Ryan stood, blood ran from the corner of his mouth and nose. A pale bruise already started to form on his eye. 

"Get in!" Shane exclaims and pulls him in, closing the door hard before taking Ryan into his arms. "What happened are you okay?" He sits Ryan down at his kitchen table and throws open cabinets to find antibacterial products. He slams them on the table and runs a wash cloth with water to clean Ryan's face. An ice pack for his eye.

Shane gets almost uncomfortably close to clean his face as Ryan sits stiffly. Tears stream down his face silently.

"What happened?" Shane's hand moves to cup Ryan's face gingerly. 

He shakes his head and pulls away. "It's nothing I swear," he looks down.

"Ryan," Shane's hand reaches out to grab his friends. "I know something's up," this earns a frightened look from Ryan. He goes to open his mouth before more banging rings throughout the apartment.

"RYAN! Come out right NOW!" The voice was rough and course, demanding even. "I AM GOING TO BEAT YOUR ASS!" Ryan flinches at the harse words. Shane stands up in a flurry of movements. 

Within minutes, Shane has the door wide open. "If you want him, you're gonna have to go through me," he locks his jaw as he looks at his competition. He was well fit like Ryan, almost handsome, but that didn't mean he could throw a good punch.

"You're going to stand up for the weakling over there? I know you slept with him. He's a fucking man whore. You can't fool me, Sasquatch," the nickname made Shane seethe even more. 

"Don't hurt him please, oh god, Devin. Don't hurt him, I'll go home! I'll be good!" Ryan was now sobbing.

'Devin' goes for a lunge at Shane's stomach. Unfortunately, it hits and Shane wheezes.

"No, you won't EVER go back there, Ryan," Shane heaves and throws one well placed punch. It knocks the guy out enough for Shane to grab Ryan and run for it. "Let's go!" 

The two make a break for it. They climb into Shane's car and squeal out of the parking lot. The plan being to call the cops on that lousy son of a bitch.

Ryan whimpers in the seat as the pull into the station. "Come on," Shane coaxes him softly and out of the car.

The moment they were in the station, Ryan had started crying again. Officers put a shock blanket around his shoulders as Shane spoke. 

Some cops let them into a small room so they could talk. Meanwhile, they were to go out and arrest Devin's ass. 

Ryan pulls the blanket tightly around his shoulders as Shane enters the room.

"I'm sorry," his voice was small.

"Why are you sorry?"

"For dragging you in. That's the exact opposite of what I wanted to do," he hangs his head and rubs at the bruise on his cheek.

"Listen, you didn't drag me in. I put myself in," Shane sits down next to Ryan. "I was only protecting you." He was quiet for a moment.

"Let me see your stomach," Ryan takes off the blanket and turns to Shane. They lock eyes as he lifts his shirt.

A dark purple bruise stained Shane's rib cage. He winces as Ryan goes to stroke it. 

"I'm so sorry," he breathes out as he looks up. "You shouldn't have gotten involved."

"Ryan, I had to. I wasn't going to let that piece of shit beat you up any longer. You act like I'm naive and dumb, but I can piece things together." He turns soft at the end. "I care about you a lot, okay?"

This causes Ryan to quirk up. "I care about you too," he smiles softly.

"Move in with me!" Shane blurts out, his face turning red. 

"Really?" Ryan snorts. "I mean, I will need a new place to crash. Is your couch okay?"

"I mean, we sleep together pretty often. My bed is always an option," Shane laughs as both of their faces flush. 

"I'd love to, Shane," Ryan smiles fondly at him before patting his knee.

○ ○ ○

Three months pass as the two continue to grow. Devin has been put in jail for the sentence of domestic violence. He now takes anger management classes.

Shane and Ryan are going 2 months strong with their relationship, but several years of companionship.

Ryan has finally come to terms with himself through therapy, and well, Shane. 

"Shane! You're going to miss the movie," Ryan calls from the living room. His feet kicked up on the coffee table. Obi in his usual place behind his head.

"I'm coming, baby," Shane rolls his eyes as he brings in the now hot popcorn. He slides in under the blanket and kicks his own feet up. He then throws a lazy arm around Ryan's shoulders.

"Good," Ryan giggles as he presses himself up against Shane. He shoves popcorn in his face.

"Don't choke," a untold joke lies behind Shane's eyes as Ryan smacks him.

"Tell yourself that," he shakes his head and buries his face in Shane's chest. The smell of him weaved around his head like a snake. "I love you,"

"I love you too,"


End file.
